As Florence approaches, Massachusetts officials urge preparedness

Tuesday

As Hurricane Florence continues to barrel toward the East Coast, Massachusetts emergency officials this month are urging residents to plan for disasters and other types of emergency events.

The Mass. Emergency Management Agency, charged with handling logistics and safety surrounding disasters in the Bay State, is promoting disaster preparedness strategies and encouraging people to come up with an emergency plan.

“A family emergency plan will help you prepare for the next disaster, including being ready to evacuate or shelter-in-place and find and communicate with family members during an emergency,” said Kurt Schwartz, MEMA director.

Hurricane Florence, the storm closest to making landfall, was upgraded to a Category 4 hurricane on Sunday. It's projected to hit the Carolinas in the coming days. Mandatory evacuations have already begun, displacing more than 1 million people so far.

“Life-threatening storm surge possible along the coasts of North and South Carolina,” the National Hurricane Center said at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

As for New England, the U.S. National Weather Service said Florence is expected to remain well to the south.

“The only impacts in southern New England will be high surf and dangerous rip currents, especially on the south coast,” the NWS announced at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Hurricane Bob in 1991 was the last time a full-fledged hurricane made landfall in New England.

In the spirit of preparedness, Massachusetts emergency officials have made the following recommendations:

Figure out where to meet up: Select two family meeting locations where you can reunite with loved ones after a disaster. MEMA recommends one location close to home and another farther away.

Develop an emergency contact plan: Make sure each member of the family has the cellphone and the number of an out-of-town relative, who can serve as an emergency contact after a disaster. Memorize it and identify the contact in your contacts as “ICE,” meaning “in case of an emergency,” should someone need to contact them on your behalf. MEMA recommends you inform them of any family member’s special needs or medical issues.

Plan how to evacuate: Identify and practice how to exit your home and establish possible evacuation routes. Make arrangements with family and neighbors if you don’t have personal transportation. If you need public assistance, contact local safety officials to make them aware.

Plan how to shelter in place: People should designate safe rooms in your home with as few windows and doors as possible. Ensure there’s access to TV, radio and telephones, along with an emergency kit.

Don’t forget Bella and Tiger! Make plans for everyone in the household, including individuals with disabilities, seniors, children and pets. Pets, often overlooked in emergency planning, are also affected by disasters.

Does my insurance cover that? Make sure you have adequate coverage before the disaster strikes. If you’re not sure, call an insurance agent or company. Flood insurance is not typically covered under renter and homeowner policies. If that’s a concern, you may want to consider getting supplemental coverage. Only a handful of private insurers cover flood insurance, although there is a publicly funded program called the National Flood Insurance Plan.

Make a record of the contents of your home: Take video and photographs of each room and keep multiple copies in a location other than your home.

Prepare your finances for an emergency: The aftermath of a disaster can be hectic. Make sure you have access to personal financial, insurance, medical and other critical information to start the process of recovery. Consider saving money in an emergency savings account to use in any crisis.

Keep some cash on hand: ATMs and credit cards sometimes don’t work during emergency events, so keeping small bills on-hand during an emergency will help should you need to buy food.

Put it all in a safe place: Make sure all important documents, including insurance policies and sensitive information, are kept with a trusted family or friend that doesn’t live near you. Keep whatever is needed at home in a safe and dry location easily accessible when needed.